GIT Upset : Diarrhoea

Diarrhea means having more than three bowel movements in a 24 hour period where the stool is loose or watery. a loose stool being one that would take the shape of a container. Gastroenterologists define diarrhea as the passage of more than 200g stool daily.

Classification

It is classified as:

Acute watery diarrhea: Lasting for hours or days.

Persistent diarrhea: Lasting for 14 days or longer and sometimes for months.

Most of the pathogenic organisms of diarrhoeal diseases are transmitted primarily or exclusively by the faecal-oral route. This transmission may be water-borne, food-borne or direct transmission via fingers, fomites or dirt which may be ingested by young children.

Control of Diarrhoeal Disease

The intervention measures recommended by WHO may be classified as below: